


Choices and Games

by Katuary



Series: Rose and Thorn [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Courtship, Dancing, Family, Family Fluff, Gen, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:50:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21517750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katuary/pseuds/Katuary
Summary: Two years prior to the start of the Fifth Blight, Elissa allows one party to find eligible suitors. Just to get her mother off her back.
Series: Rose and Thorn [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1510469
Kudos: 9





	Choices and Games

"Elissa, would you _please_ sit still?"

Elissa feigned innocence, widening her eyes comically at her five-year-old nephew.

"You wound me, mother! Oren is my witness. I haven't moved my head this _entire_ time. Isn't that right?" The boy just giggled from his perch on his aunt's panting mabari. Sunny huffed and nudged the boy pointedly with the back of his massive neck. Elissa pouted dramatically. " _Oren...?_ "

"Auntie didn't move, Nana!"

Elissa flashed a triumphant grin at her mother. "See?"

"Anyone with eyes could see the faces you were pulling, Elissa," Eleanor chided, pinning a long braid in place, "You're no longer a child."

"I suppose you'd allow me to continue putting this off otherwise."

A long-suffering sigh. "Darling, it's just tradition. No one says you have to find a match tonight. We only have to host the dance once."

"And thank the Maker for that."

"Stop acting like I'm marching you to your execution. You have final say. It's more than most others of our birth have."

She was right, though there were still rules to follow. Elissa was free to do as she wished until a betrothal was in place, but her choice must be a man and from a suitable family. Everything boiled down to lineage. Frustrating.

"Unfortunate you weren't born a few years earlier," her mother continued, "I'd have brought you to Denerim."

"Right." Elissa held back a scoff. Her mother may just have broken into song had Elissa managed to snag _that_ engagement. Not that it would ever have been an option. Then-Prince Cailan had been attached to Lady Anora at the hip from the moment they met. 

Besides, if Elissa had it her way, she'd never leave Highever. Much more worthwhile to run a teyrnir and stay with her family than be shipped off to some suitable lord and only stay in touch through writing. And with the King married? She'd be lucky if she even remained in Ferelden after her own wedding. 

* * *

Her mother had done her work well, she had to admit. Thick coils of her auburn hair wound in intricate whorls at the back of her head, a silk gown in Highever blue flowed like liquid over her body, and a touch of golden brown shadow set off her bright blue eyes. The rest was a role Elissa would need to play herself. 

She could tell the men were measuring her up as they danced. Would her rank be an appropriate match for their position? Was she tolerably attractive? A competent dancer? Bright enough to navigate all the machinations and nuances of nobility?

 _Well, the daughter of a Teyrn is second only to a Princess in Ferelden. Quite painless to look at. Graceful and lively on the dance floor. Likely more intelligent than most of the party guests._ Small wonder she hadn't lacked for partners...though their enthusiasm dimmed when they learned her grace came from mastery with dual blades along with her dance lessons. They were even less impressed when she expressed no interest in hanging up her daggers after marriage. 

Of course, she was analyzing the men just the same. Weaving between partners effortlessly, compensating when one lacked skill or missed a step, showing off as opportunity allowed, evaluating each potential match and missing nothing. 

_Loud and stupid._

_Sunny doesn't like him._

_Far too old._

_Orlesian_.

_Harassing servant girls when he thinks my back is turned._

_Sunny_ really _doesn't like him._

She had no delusions of marrying for love. Her parents had been lucky in that regard, and her brother had eloped as a lovestruck teen. Much as she teased that she'd simply run off like Fergus, she knew her duty. _If_ she married, she'd find someone suitable. Someone worth leaving Highever for. But she had high standards. 

Thankfully, few were ranked highly enough that a match could be seriously considered. Elissa excelled at keeping a figurative mask on, but it exhausted her. It was dull. She'd much prefer playing with Oren or Sunny, sparring in the practice yard, or running strategy meetings with her father. 

At least there was dancing.

* * *

By the end of the evening, her jaw ached from careful smiles, her scalp throbbed from heavy hair, and the night had largely proven a waste of time for its intended purpose. 

"I'm not doing that again," she warned her mother as she unwound a stubborn braid. The Teyrna sighed.

"That was our agreement. Only once. We'll see what we can do about other options."

"Options that won't require four hours of preparation?" Elissa ran her fingers through her newly freed locks and winced. 

"Pinning your hair takes time."

"I need less hair then."

"Oh, don't." Her mother twined a few strands around her fingers, chuckling when Elissa swatted her hand away. "You have lovely hair. It looks beautiful long."

"It gets in the way."

"Men prefer it long, darling." Elissa rolled her eyes so hard she swore she saw the back of her skull.

"Maker forbid."

"You're sure you didn't find _anyone_ worth pursuing? Nothing memorable?"

"Thomas Howe couldn't stop tripping over my feet," Elissa deadpanned, "Isn't that romantic?"

"I don't know _why_ Arl Howe sent him. The boy's hardly out of the nursery. He should have sent Nathaniel." 

"Isn't he still off in the Free Marches?"

"Squiring. He still could have come back. That would have been a much easier match."

"Closer to home, too."

Eleanor smiled affectionately at that and squeezed her daughter's shoulders. "Darling, you know you'll always be welcome here. No matter where you go."

"I know." She brightened, tilting her head back to smirk at her mother. " _Or_ , I could retire as an old maid and manage the castle for father and Fergus."

A chiding scoff. "You're _eighteen_ , dear."

An overdramatic groan. "Ancient! Wasting away! The specter of Highever!"

"Are you quite done?"

"If you insist." She stood and bent down slightly to kiss her mother's cheek. "Good night, mother."

Eleanor shook her head with a small, indulgent smile. "Good night, darling."

**Author's Note:**

> Always saw my Cousland as an overconfident little shit before, you know, 80% of her family gets murdered. She's lucky her family thought she was at least an *endearing* pain in the ass.
> 
> May do a few more of these to get snapshots of her relationship with her brother and father, since this wound up being 95% about Eleanor.
> 
> Also can't remember for the life of me if Fergus eloping with Oriana is canon or just a very common fanon.


End file.
